Can anyone here recommend a good low-cost portable HD camcorder? It must be around $ 400 or less,must have superb hd image quality,must also have an external mic output.
19885
I agree with Robert... HDC TM55k is the best at the moment, you can also try Panasonic HDC SD 60, Features are as same as HDC-TM55K, the only diff is of In built Memory of 8 GB, Pan HDC-SD60 doesn't have any inbuilt memory.
19886
I am considering the Panasonic HDC-TM55k or the Canon Vixia MF M30. Still not sure which to go with. Anyone have any thoughts?
19887
I am considering those suggestions but i gotta be sure those cameras do have an external microphone output so i can use the Azden WMS-PRO Wireless Microphone System with.
725760
Thanks Jim, What is the advantage of the HF200 over the HF100 camcorder? Is the quality going to be better?
1419789
The T4i is very good for short video clips but DSLRs tend to overheat during long uninterrupted shots. You'll still want your camcorder for school plays, etc.
2090370
This is the best camcorder I think , easy used control brightness ,good on low light ,64 gb card is perfect and it has 96gb hard drive , I love it
1936220
There is an hdmi mini out which I haven't used, so don't know if it would function the way you want but I'm thinking so. There is an external mic input as well as a headphone jack, though I tried a couple high end shotgun microphones only to get a horrible buzzing sound. The jack works just fine with a lapel mic I tested and a cheap external digital recorder I tried. When I called Sony to find out the tech specks on the jack, they told me it was proprietary info and left me with no help. The store I was working with have up as well helping me find a microphone that would work well with no buzzing. It's a nice camcorder if you can get a used one at a decent price, but for just a little more money there are some better choices. Best of luck on your purchase!
2168894
Plays back your vids beautifully on your HD TV directly from the camcorder, just make sure you use the correct input jacks on the TV. Won't record tv thru the jacks, as far as I can tell. In a pinch you can steady it on a tripod and point at the tv screen to record--comes out pretty good.
71835
No still camera digital can produce HD of the same quality as a dedicated camcorder. BTW, if you are going the digital still camera route, the Panasonic TZ5, Panasonic FZ28 and the Panasonic LX3 are all very different, but excellent choices that do HD movies.
1093467
It is an HD camcorder that produces very nice video and great still pictures as well. These things used to be pricier, but now it's easier to come across one at an affordable price. They have a cool feature: shooting 3D video. There's a special lens that attaches to the camera, and with compatible TV and glasses, you can enjoy the novelty feature. Camcorder uses SD cards, preferably Class 10. It has a touch screen that is pretty cool. If you're interested in the video quality, there are quite a few tests on YouTube. Have a great day!
1975469
Rode VideoMic Pro (not the other two non-pro versions, which are not better than TM700's built-in mic) seems to be your best choice. $229 from B&H.
982868
camera is excellent for outdoor shooting and its was the best game in town at the time of its introduction, if you can get a good deal on it by all means do it. but be warned you may be able to get something better for less $$ these days (its just the way technology works) I mostly use my Nikon D3100 for HD video these days and use my JVC as a secondary camera on a multi cam shoot. The .TOD file wrapper is a pain but most modern softwares seem to be able to handle it these days. (I use sony vegas)
1346670
If you are on a tight budget the cheapest good DashCam I would ever recommend is the G1W it's about 52 dollars. You can get it from Amazon under ASIN B00FONBG1A. There are some other cheaper ones with the same case, but inside are lower spec parts. The G1W really does 1080P video and looks good at night thanks to High Dynamic Range.
1693904
I'm not so sure about that. Sure there are better camcorders out there now, but they're also more expensive. Unless you absolutely must have bleeding edge technology, I don't see any reason not to pick up a camcorder that's a couple years old at a discounted price. If it was amazing 2 years ago, it's still quite good today.
1718626
+++ CORRECTION +++ this camera has both mic/headphone capabilities, it's just that it only has 1 jack, so it's either a mic, or a headphone - NOT BOTH... it does have an 'on board' speaker w adustable volume, so u dont really need t plug in the headphones, but you are 'not able' to monitor the recording, as a result... and so, in the past, i've just recorded a sample, and played it back. p.s. i own 7 of these now, for my biz, and am acquiring more... best 'cheap' hd cam out there, w a dedicated mic input - HIGHLY DESIRABLE!!! i try not to pay more than $120 shipped...
443625
Looks like the new Zi8 is going to be the best low cost HD camcorder.Kodak Zi8 HD Pocket Video Camera (Black)$179.95 on Pre-Order and it does 1080P or 720P at 60fps, image stabilization, replaceable battery and it has HDMI out and it has an EXTERNAL MICROPHONE JACK so you can record audio with a decent mic. Maybe use a mic with a wind guard so you can record outside without all that annoying wind buffeting noise.Some of the Aipteks can do these things plus zoom, but the Aipteks are so clunky, not slick and pocketable like this.You also need to buy a case and SD card since it doesn't come with a case and only has 128MB onboard storage. Looks like the new Zi8 is going to be the best low cost HD camcorder.Kodak Zi8 HD Pocket Video Camera (Black)$179.95 on Pre-Order and it does 1080P or 720P at 60fps, image stabilization, replaceable battery and it has HDMI out and it has an EXTERNAL MICROPHONE JACK so you can record audio with a decent mic. Maybe use a mic with a wind guard so you can record outside without all that annoying wind buffeting noise.Some of the Aipteks can do these things plus zoom, but the Aipteks are so clunky, not slick... » Read More Looks like the new Zi8 is going to be the best low cost HD camcorder.Kodak Zi8 HD Pocket Video Camera (Black)$179.95 on Pre-Order and it does 1080P or 720P at 60fps, image stabilization, replaceable battery and it has HDMI out and it has an EXTERNAL MICROPHONE JACK so you can record audio with a decent mic. Maybe use a mic with a wind guard so you can record outside without all that annoying wind buffeting noise.Some of the Aipteks can do these things plus zoom, but the Aipteks are so clunky, not slick and pocketable like this.You also need to buy a case and SD card since it doesn't come with a case and only has 128MB onboard storage. « Show Less
1273934
Personally, any name brand car-back-up cam will do. So if you like brands like Sony, JVC, Panasonic, Kenwood, Alpine, etc. just read up on reviews and look for the best price. Don't worry too much about "video" quality. The video screens on cars usually are not HD and from what I remember, none of the back-up cams are in HD either.Hope that helps!
829843
I don't own the JVC, but I did take a look at it. The reviews were not all that great for the unit. I didn't like the format of the files it stored (I use Linux, the Sony files are immediately usable). I liked the 6MP still picture feature... AND I believe the build quality of the Sony is a bit better than the JVC. There are some reviews out there for the JVC. Not too many for the sr300 yet though. If I had to do all over again, I'd choose the SR300. IMHO there isn't a good (well one that I like well enough) HD HDD camera out there yet. You get the Sonnar*T lens with the SR300... that might be well worth getting it over the SR200. If there was a $400 price difference, I'd get the SR200. Camcorders retain their value, so don't expect to see too much drop in price.
1504714
you guys are seriously going to pay over a grand for a camcorder that doesn't even do 1080p? Go ahead. I got something that costs less than half and does a better job.